How to Stay Healthy During the Holidays)rebecca adams)11/17/2016<p>
Indulging in a bite of pie and taking a nap could help keep you healthy this season…
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<phttp://www.argosy.edu/our-community/blog/how-to-stay-healthy-during-the-holidays

How to Stay Healthy During the Holidays

Indulging in a bite of pie and taking a nap could help keep you healthy this season…

The holiday season is full of celebrations. From office parties to
family events, everyone gathers to spread a little extra cheer. While
people may be wary
of what all of the holiday treats will mean for their health,
avoiding all of the revelry could cause more harm than good. Creating a
balance between
restraint and indulgence will help sustain physical, mental and
emotional well-being. Come out of the season feeling just as good as you
did when you went
in with these easy holiday health tips.

Choose wisely, pick healthy holiday treats and snacks.

During the holidays there are tempting treats everywhere you turn.
From cookies at the office to fondue at the holiday party, your
favorites can be hard to
resist. But if you choose your treats wisely, you can guiltlessly
enjoy every bite.

Browse the buffet line for healthy holiday appetizers like veggies
or fruit, shrimp cocktails or chicken skewers so you won't have to skip
dessert. You can
always share a sweet treat with someone else to keep you
accountable. And if you're worried about not having the will power, it's
a good idea to eat 1.5
ounces of healthy protein before an event to keep you feeling
satiated.

Don't deny yourself.

Food is connected to family, culture, tradition and celebration, and
it should be a source of enjoyment. Avoid creating a list of items you
cannot have.
“When it comes to tempting foods, forbidding them only makes you
want them even more,” says Debbie Swanson, registered dietician, and
nutrition and
healthy-cooking tips instructor at The International Culinary School
at The Art Institute of Colorado. One of the healthy holiday eating
tips she suggests
is having smaller portions of your favorites, such as a bite of pie
instead of the whole piece. "My friend makes the best apple pie. I
always have two
bites," Swanson says.

Work it off.

The best way to prevent the extra pounds from sneaking up on you is
to engage in a regular exercise routine. Some holiday fitness tips
include doing
something as simple as parking farther away from the office or
taking the stairs instead of the elevator to help increase the number of
steps you take each
day.

Individuals typically gain around two pounds during the holidays, according to the Mayo Clinic.
"The problem is
that we don't lose the weight," Swanson says. Rather than adding
weight that you have to work off later, maintain a workout regimen or
find other ways to
burn the calories you consume throughout the busy day.

Make “me” time

Research over the past two decades has begun to demonstrate the
strong connection between mental health and the strength of the immune
system, which
affects overall physical well-being, according to Jim Wasner, former
dean for the
Illinois School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University | Schaumburg
. Wasner says that the strength and resilience of everyone's overall
immune system, feeling depressed or overly anxious, often correlates
with poorer
physical health and vulnerability to illnesses. "Relax and schedule
time for yourself," he says." Go easy on the alcohol and sugar. Catch up
on your
sleep." Maintaining this overall balance will keep you physically
and mentally healthy during the holiday season.

Allow yourself to enjoy the celebrations, just maintain the balance
between health-conscious and indulgent decisions so the holidays don’t
get the best of
you.